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Always proud to sing the praises of her country, Stella McCartney's show was an unabashedly British affair. Majestic coats of arms and heraldic flags decorated shoulder-baring dresses and long, knitted cardigans; traditional Broderie Anglaise adorned necklines and hems; and dreamy, feather-light gowns came in the palest Wedgwood blue.

Meanwhile, Antoni & Alison, purveyor of quirky charm, used dapper Harris Tweed - handwoven from wool that has been dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides - for pencil skirts and boxy jackets. Accessorised with natty granny bags and headscarves, the collection was imbued with a quaint, 1940s Land Girls feel. Tailored tweed trousers and coats also appeared at Luella, as did pretty peasant smocks and village fête-style, ribbon dresses in a collection which drew upon the charming archaisms of English rural life.

The countryside made way for war cries at Alexander McQueen, Aquascutum, and Temperley, where girls marched to the tune of Lord Nelson's militia with elaborate frogging and brass buttons on soldier jackets and battle-ready tailcoats. Rifle, optional.

Elsewhere, patterns and prints synonymous with the Scottish Highlands prevailed. Tartan is the fashion clans' print-of-choice, and has been reworked variously - by House of Holland in perky tones of violet and lemon, Peter Jensen as peppy country plaids, and Matthew Williamson as graphic, neon checks.

At Ashish, harlequin sequinned shifts and cardigans lent an air of insouciance to traditional Argyle, while houndstooth prints added bite to deconstructed dresses and slouchy knits at Vivienne Westwood and Biba. And the Irish get a look in too, thanks to Christopher Kane, who rounded things off with his khaki knitted Aran tunics, which originally hail from the eponymous islands off the west coast of Ireland.

Captained by our home-grown talent, designers from foreign shores also played on the theme of heritage including D&G (tartan), Moschino (military) and Ralph Lauren (country checks). Rule Britannia, indeed.